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Easy Chocolate Cake From Scratch

Course Dessert
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8

Ingredients

**For the Cake:**

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour 130g
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar 165g
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil 65g
  • ½ cup buttermilk 120g *(or make your own with ½ cup milk + ½ tbsp vinegar)*
  • 1 tsp instant coffee optional, can be reduced to ½ tsp
  • ¼ cup boiling water 60g
  • ¼ cup cocoa powder 25g

**For the Ganache:**

  • ¼ cup cream 60g
  • 75 g chocolate of choice milk chocolate works great

Instructions

**For the Cake:**

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F and prepare a 9" cake pan by lining it with parchment paper and greasing it with butter or oil.
  • If making your own buttermilk, mix ½ cup milk with ½ tablespoon vinegar, stir, and set aside.
  • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure to sift the ingredients to remove any lumps.
  • Add the egg, vegetable oil, and buttermilk to the dry ingredients. Use a whisk to gently mix until just combined.
  • In a separate bowl, mix the boiling water with cocoa powder and instant coffee until smooth and shiny.
  • Add the cocoa mixture to the cake batter and gently fold until fully combined.
  • Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached.
  • Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely.

**For the Ganache:**

  • Heat the cream in a small saucepan until it just begins to boil.
  • Pour the hot cream over the chopped chocolate and let it sit for 5 minutes.
  • Stir the mixture until smooth and glossy.
  • Let the ganache sit for another 5 minutes to thicken slightly.
  • Pour the ganache over the cooled cake and spread it evenly with a spatula.
  • Slice, serve, and enjoy your decadent chocolate creation!

Notes

  • You can easily make your own buttermilk by combining milk with vinegar or lemon juice.
  • Be careful not to overmix the cake batter, as this can result in a tough texture.
  • This cake can also be baked in a square pan or doubled for a larger sheet cake. Adjust the baking time accordingly.